Each week, Huntsville’s own Grant Nickalls entertains us, inspires us, make us laugh and sometimes makes us cry, but always he reminds us why Huntsville is the best place on earth to call home.
This week in Our Town, an age-old question (or at least one that’s been around as long as speed limits): how fast do you go?
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A few things relating to speed limits that often get overlooked.
1- The limit is not about “you”! As we all know our abilities exceed those of an F-1 racer and our old beat up pick up handles better than any Ferrari so obviously that limit is “not for you”. But seriously, do you feel comfortable on an expressway on your way to Florida surrounded by 80 year olds in fat old Caddies doing 90 miles per hour? Do you think these vehicles can handle it? Do you think that your old sedan, loaded to the max with stuff and kids can handle a sudden evasive maneuver at these speeds? I’m not so sure and I’d rather go a little slower and live to see another day.
2- In many cases there is restricted visibility, sight lines or some such thing. The speed limit in this kind of area has more to do with allowing a safe entry or exit to the road than the people driving along the road. The limit is set so that (hopefully) from the time you see a car approaching, you have time to make an entry and gain some of the speed limit speed before they run you over. If that other person is doing 20 or 30 over the limit this is impossible.
3- Not everyone “knows the road” like a local does. You may know and have a first name relationship with bumps and potholes or lane exits and things like this but a stranger will not know this and needs that bit of extra time. The limit takes this into account.
4- As Grant points out, that lower limit near schools is also there for a good reason. Same with places like downtown main street. People, especially very young or very old, don’t see or pay attention and some move fast, others very slow. The point is that they are unpredictable so you, the driver have to predict for them by driving a little slower and watching them to anticipate a mistake on their part.
5- Soon enough we shall have snow and ice to deal with and this can render any speed limit into fantasy land. It does not matter much how much you paid for your super powered, all wheel drive, traction control toy with all the electronic gadgets on it. They all preform the same on ice (Lousy!!) and if you can’t see where you are going…. well maybe go there slowly so that the good old bumper has a chance to show it’s abilities better.
You only live once, don’t waste it!